The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus having a cover unit which forms and opens a conveying path.
An image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine and a printer, is conventionally configured to include an apparatus main body and a cover unit supported by the apparatus main body in a turnable manner. Between the apparatus main body and the cover unit, a conveying path for a sheet is formed. In such a configuration, by turning the cover unit, a jam occurred in the conveying path can be handled.
In order to prevent the cover unit from being turned with respect to the apparatus main body in a state where the conveying path is formed, the cover unit has turnable hook members at the both side faces and the apparatus main body has bosses to which the hook members are engaged. The hook member is biased by a biasing member, such as a coil spring, in a direction in which the hook member is engaged with the boss. When the cover unit is turned in a direction in which the conveying path is formed, the hook members abut on the bosses, turn in a direction opposite to the biasing direction of the biasing member and then are engaged with the bosses by the biasing force of the biasing members.
However, depending on the degree of force for turning the cover unit, a half-closed state where the both hook members are not completely engaged with the bosses or a one side-closed state where one of the hook members is not engaged with the boss may be occurred. In order to solve such a problem, if the cover unit may be made to have a high rigidity, a high rigid material may be used or a reinforcing member may be added, causing increasing in the cost. On the contrary, when the number of the members is reduced to prevent the increase of the cost, operability may be decreased.